Was feminism always wrong?

thrway_1000 · 2012-06-29T11:33:16+00:00

I agree with the egalitarian ideals, but not the methods or theories that most feminists put forward (i.e. privilege and patriarchy theory). Those pushing for true equality I have no problem with.

Usually, my problem with feminism comes from the hypocrisy that many feminist ignore in their own ranks. If you're not willing to hold the same standards all the time then you are a hypocrite, and many a feminist falls into this category. They hold men and women to different standards. They ignore crimes and hate and make excuses when "their side" does it. If you don't hold the same values constantly they're not really values at all. Also, if you have the temerity to call out this hypocrisy you are labeled a villain, a misogynist (because female and feminist are synonymous in many feminist's minds), or ridiculed and censored. They never stop to see if there's a point or facts. You're either with them or against them. And that mentality is detrimental to their cause.

My last problem is claiming people or causes as feminist, even when they say they're not. A feminist has no right to label people or causes just because they want to claim them. Feminism is a label that not all people or causes want. Feminism has a history and baggage that others don't want to carry. But, they don't care, they claim and call and name without consent so they can vicariously claim their victories, their names, and their deeds. This is not right. If I don't want this label, I have my reasons and belittling them or denying them with reductive rhetoric like, "If you believe in equality you're a feminist." is wrong. And no, I say. Damed be those that take it upon themselves to reduce me to their labels and claim my cause as if it was their own, and that they had supported it when they did naught. Feminism is not the only movement for equality, it is not the only label, and it is not the end all be all of human rights. To all those who do this I say, you are the false face of feminism. You are the enemy to the cause. You spread hate and anger instead of what you claim to want. You are one of the reason people don't want the label of feminist.

edit: for grammar.

Aiomon · 2012-06-29T13:19:26+00:00

No. Feminism was necessary at many points in history, and still is today. I just think that how feminists operate is sometimes wrong. Like, promoting equal rights is great, and I do think women face many issues today. That being said, so do men, and they need to remember that. I think, we, as menright's reddit, need to remember that feminism isn't bad, and really doesn't affect us, as long as we are not targets.

The_Patriarchy · 2012-06-29T10:54:11+00:00

do you think feminism, first and second wave, was always "wrong"?

No.

First it's important to understand what feminism actually is. Essentially, it boils down to the belief that women have it worse than men, and that equality can only come about by raising women up and/or bringing men down. So, with that in mind, the "correctness" of feminism has EVERYTHING to do with location, time-period, and culture (incl. subcultures). I consider myself to generally be an antifeminist, because I don't think that women have it worse than men in this particular location, time-period, and culture. However, women do clearly have it worse in other places/time-periods/cultures, and so, with respect to those locations (etc.), I'm pro-feminist. With that being said, I think feminism has sometimes trafficked in incorrect or otherwise ridiculous beliefs, even at times (etc.) when the core of feminism was a correct belief...and it's been used to propagate a lot of misinformation.

rightsbot · 2012-06-29T10:14:17+00:00

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Legolas-the-elf · 2012-06-29T11:07:54+00:00

There was a thread on this subject yesterday.

C0CKPUNCHER · 2012-06-30T12:17:05+00:00

I think it has been worse to be a man than a woman for at least 200 years in England. (And probably America). Specific female grievances do not justify a movement that based on absolute female victim-hood.

truthjusticeca · 2012-06-29T13:00:02+00:00

I don't like how the question is posed. Feminism has not been "always" wrong or "always" right. Historically, there have been many issues deserving of criticism even with first wave feminists (here and here)

Demonspawn · 2012-06-29T14:40:15+00:00

Feminism was never and likely will never be a movement for equality. It was a movement for, in it's most pure form, equal rights for women. But equal rights alone is not equality, as it ignores the burdens of equal responsibility.

FAN_ROTOM_IS_SCARY · 2012-06-29T15:29:39+00:00

Personally, I think that most versions of feminism aren't wrong per se, just that they have serious issues. First wave feminism had the right idea in promoting legal equality for women, but was short-sighted in not seeing that social issues needed resolving also. Second wave had the right idea, but often made slips in judgement (primarily, the assumption that men are inherently "more privileged" than women). Third wave feminism is good in the fact that it takes care of minorities, but not only falls to the same shortcomings of second wave feminism, but now has a lot more flaws due to the larger amount of people protected by it (e.g. Die cis scum). Fourth wave feminism, while still a new and incomplete movement, should patch over the issues of the previous feminisms.

Really, what it boils down to is that most feminisms aren't wrong, they just have flaws in certain areas which are usually patched up in the next wave.

Scott2508 · 2012-06-29T12:33:27+00:00

ill take this as a genuine question and i will answer it thusly , feminisim not unlike communisim started off with the idea that everyone is equal and evolved into the idea that some are more equal than others and at that point the good was outweighed by the bad .

If this was animal farm then i can say without doubt that feminists are pigs ..

infiniteusernames · 2012-06-29T12:14:39+00:00

I don't necessarily think any iteration or wave of feminism was/is "wrong," but rather it has not (and especially in its current form) adequately addressed the ways in which men and boys are also disadvantaged. -GMRA

NemosHero · 2012-06-29T12:34:47+00:00

[permanently deleted]

Title	Was feminism always wrong?
Author	NemosHero
Upvotes	0
Comments	28
Date	June 29, 2012 10:12 AM UTC (14 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/vsfhq/was_feminism_always_wrong/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/was-feminism-always-wrong.1018881 https://theredarchive.com/post/1018881

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